Collapsible receptacle



Oct. 29, 1935. F. MALLGRAF COLLAPSIBLE RECEPTACLE Filed Feb. 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VENTOR. FERD/NHND MHLLERHF ATTORNEY.

Octy29, 1935. F. MALLGRAF COLLAPSIBLE RECEPTACLE Filed Feb. 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I NVENTOR FER/NHNU MHLLERHF I TTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES 2,019,231 COLLAPSIBLE RECEPTACLE Ferdinand Mallgraf, Little Neck, Long Island, N. Y.

Application February 8, 1935, Serial No. 5,642

4 Claims.

My present invention relates to paper recap; tacles, and especially to a novelty type of receptacle adapted to contain merchandise and usable as a toy or ornament.

The present invention embodies generally the features of my co-pending application, Serial No. 721,599, filed April 20, 1934, for Toy houses. In the said co-pending application I have disclosed collapsible or foldable toy houses made of heavy paper, cardboard or the like, and the present invention contemplates the use of the same or equivalent materials.

The objects of the present invention, aside from providing a generally attractive, novel and useful receptacle, are to improve the appearance of houses made in accordance with the invention embodied in my said co-pending application, by providing a gable on the roof, preferably at the front of the house, which serves to hold the house in extended position against collapsing movement, and also serves as a closure for an opening through which merchandise may be removed from the receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a house-like receptacle of the above character provided on its roof with a tab which may be made to simulate a chimney, and which affords means for hanging the receptacle in balanced position on any support for display purposes or for ornamentation, for instance, as on Christmas trees.

The foregoing, and all of the objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent and.will be pointed out during the course of the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of either of the embodiments of the invention showing the receptacle extended and closed;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the gable of the house of Fig. 1 opened to afford access to the interior thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one form of collapsible receptacle showing the top or roof entirely open;

Fig. 4 is a central transverse sectional view through a collapsible house embodying another form of the invention;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, through the form of house shown in Fig. 3 in its closed position; and

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the structure of Fig. 4 in collapsed condition.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the numeral 1 designates generally the base or body of a receptacle in the form of a house, provided with a roof 8 closing the top of the receptacle, said roof being provided with an opening 9 (Fig. 2) closed by a gable It). It will be noted by comparison of Figs. 1 and 2 that when the gable is in the position of Fig.1 5'

that the receptacle is completely closed, and therefore would safely contain any merchandise such, for instance, as candy, crackers, or other articles. When the gable is opened, and the manner of opening and closing it are given in 10' tacles made in accordance with the invention, I

would again refer to Fig. 1, wherein I have shown a tab H suitably secured. centrally on the roof 8 and simulating a chimney, the tab being provided with an opening I2 to receive a string, hook, or other hanging element. However, I wish it to be understood that the provision of the tab II is optional, because the other features of the invention may be practiced without the provision of such tab. On the other hand, I also wish it to be understood that the provision of the gable, which may be opened and closed, is optional, because the tab may be provided to suspend houses made in accordance with the disclosure of my said copending application.

Referring in detail to Figs. 3 and 5 it will be noted that the receptacle is formed from a blank of cardboard, heavy paper, or similar materials, to provide a bottom I2, at opposite ends of which are flaps l3, and at one side of which is another fiap M, the said flaps being foldable along creases 3 where they are joined to the bottom. The bottom I2 is joined to the back I5, by a crease l6 and one end of the back [5 is provided with an extension ll shaped to form one of the outer side walls of the receptacle, and which may also be The front wall 20 has formed as an integral part thereof or connected thereto an extension 23 of less width than the length of the front wall. This extension 23 is provided with converging creases 24 and 25'forming with the top of the front panel 20 a triangular portion 26. When the house or receptacle'is extended, the closed portion 26 forms the front of the gable closing opening 9. The extension 23 is V-shaped at its top, the V meeting the apex of the portion 26. Since the extension 23 is of less width than the length of front wall 29, and due to the arrangement of the creases 24 which converge from the lower corners of the extension 23 to its top center, flaps 28 and 29 are formed at opposite sides of the portion 26, said flaps being foldable along the creases 24 and 25 until their top edges 30 meet to form the top of the gable with the flaps 28 and 29 forming the sides of the gable.

The rear wall I 6 is provided with an extension on its top forming panels 3| and 32, hingedly connected by a crease 33, and the panel 32 carries a flap 34 insertible into the body of the receptacle parallel to the front wall 20, as shown in Fig. 5. The panels 3| and 32 engage the tapering top edges of the panels l1 and 22 and preferably extend laterally therebeyond to form the roof of the house or top of the receptacle. The panel 32 is also provided with the triangular opening 9, which when the structure is extended, that is, when the panels 3| and 32 rest against the top edges of the panels I! and 22, is positioned to receive the flaps 28 and 29 when they are folded toward each other to bring their top edges into engagement. This extended position of the house is shown in Fig. 5, as well as in Fig. 1.

In forming up the receptacle shown in Figs. 3 and '5, the panels I? and 22 are bent at right angles to the rear panel l5, and the panel 20, to form a tubular structure comprising the front, back and side walls. The bottom I2 is then swung toward front panel 28 so that the flaps l3 and I4 may be inserted within the tubular structure provided by the panels l5, I1, 20, 22 and tab 2|. At this time the structure would be in the condition of Fig. 3 when it might be easily filled with merchandise of whatever nature it is to contain. The panels 3| and 32 are then brought against the top edges of the panels I! and 22 and the flap 34 is inserted between the front 20 and panel l4, or Within the container and parallel to the said parts l4 and 26. This would place the structure in the position of Fig. 2 and to close the same it is then only necessary to fold the flaps 28 and 29 on their creases 24 and 25, respectively, so that they may be inserted within the opening 9 to completely close the receptacle and prevent the contents from spilling out, and to also form the gable.

Where tab I8 is provided to simulate a chimney, the panels 3| and 32 are notched as at 8' to receive tab I8 when the receptacle isextended and closed.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 6, wherein I have shown a form of collapsible receptacle similar in construction to that of my said co-pending application, the numeral 36 designates the front panel and is similar to the panel 26 of Fig. 3 of this application, that is, it is provided with the triangular portion 3'! corresponding to the portion 26 of Fig. 3 and creases 38 and 39 similar to creases 24 and 25 and flaps 48 and 4| corresponding to flaps 28 and 29. Otherwise the receptacle of Fig. 6 is substantially the same as the structure of the toy house shown and described in my said copending application. The panel 36 is one of a strip creased at 42 to hingedly connect the panel 36 to the end panel 43. A crease 44 connects the end panel 43 to the rear panel 45 and another crease 46 connects the rear panel 45 to the other end panel 41. Thus the panels 36, 43, 45 and 41 are collapsible upon themselves and extensible by swinging on their connecting creases to form a the front roof panel 54 along a crease 55.

tubular structure into which the bottom 48 is swingable.

The bottom panel 48 is one panel of a strip having one end 49 engaged against the rear panel 45 and adhesively or otherwise connected thereto. The said strip is creased at 50 above the end 49 so that it folds upon itself providing a portion 5| against the end 49 when the house is extended, as shown in Fig. 4. The bottom panel 48 is connected to a supplementary front panel 52 10 by a crease 53, and the panel 52 is connected to The rear roof panel 56 is connected to the panel 54 along crease5| and to the rear panel 45 along crease 58. Thus, as shown in Fig. 6, the panels 58 15 and 54 may be swung into the plane of the rear panel 45, and the panels 48 and 52 folded down fiatly on the panels 45, 56, 54 in one direction,

while the panels 36 and 43 may be folded flatly in the opposite direction over panels 45 and 41. 20

As in the structure of Fig. 3, I provide the front roof panel 54 with the triangular opening 9 to receive the flaps 4|] and 4| when the house is extended and the flaps are brought together at their top edges, to hold the house in extended 25 position against collapsing movement, and to close the opening 9 while providing the gable I6 of Fig. 1. 2

I claim:

1. A collapsible receptacle of the character de- 30 scribed simulating a toy house and comprising, hingedly connected panels forming opposite walls and ends of the receptacle, a top closure hingedly connected to one of said panels, a bottom closure hingedly connected to one of said panels, said 35 top closure when in closed position simulating a sloping roof, an opening in the top closure, and flaps carried by one of the panels and foldable to form a pyramidal structure engageable into said opening to simulate a gable, said pyramidal 40.

structure serving to hold said top in closed position when inserted in said opening, and said pyramidal structure being freely removable from said opening to afford access to the interior of the receptacle.

2. A receptacle of the character described simulating a toy house and comprising, interconnected front, end and back walls, a closure for the bottom of the receptacle, a closure for the top of the receptacle simulating a sloping 50 roof, and provided with an opening disposed adjacent the top of one of said walls, and an extension of pyramidal form on said one wall insertible into and removable from said opening to simulate a gable to close the receptacle when inserted into said opening, and affording access to the interior of the receptacle when removed from said opening.

3. A collapsible receptacle resembling a. toy house comprising hingedly connected panels 50 forming opposite walls and ends of the house when extended, a roof hingedly connected to one of said panels, a floor or base also hingedly connected to said panel, a connection between the roof and floor movable into the extended structure in frictional engagement with another of said panels and cooperating with said roof and floor to hold the house extended and providing for simultaneous movement of the roof and floor, said panels being collapsible into fiat condition in one direction and said roof and floor being collapsible into flat condition in another direc tion, said roof being sloped, and a foldable pyramidal structure on said another of the panels insertible into an opening in the roof to lock the parts in extended position.

4. A receptacle of the character described simulating a toy house and comprising, interconnected front, end and back walls, a closure for the bottom of the receptacle, a closure for the top of the receptacle hingedly connected to one of said walls and simulating a sloping roof, and provided with a triangular opening disposed adjacent the top of another of said walls when said closure for the top is in closed relation to the top of said walls, and an extension on top of said another of the walls, said extension being of substantially triangular shape and provided with flaps along its side edges, said flaps being foldable relatively to each other to be inserted into said triangular opening to hold the top in closed relation to the top of said walls and in conjunction with the said triangular extension forming a gable removably closing said triangular opening.

FERDINAND MALLGRAF. 

